KOHAT: The district administration on Wednesday launched mandatory Covid-19 vaccination of traders after their refusal.

The health staff and police visited the bazaars and vaccinated the shopkeepers. They were picked up by police and their identity cards were seized last month which resulted in a tussle.

A meeting was held at the city police station but the administration did not turn up.

The chairman of Kohat Awami Tehreek, Ameer Afridi and president of traders association Haji Abid said that there was a decent way to hold negotiations to persuade the shopkeepers to get vaccinated instead of using force.

After consultations the issue was amicably resolved and the traders agreed to get vaccinated.

POLIO: Commissioner Mohammad Javed Marwat has shown concerns over the poor results of polio vaccination drive. Chairing a meeting of the divisional task force on polio at his office on Wednesday, he said that despite hectic efforts the target of vaccinating hundred per cent children against polio in the region was not achieved.

The meeting was attended by DIG Zaffar Ali, Kurram Deputy Commissioner Afaq Wazir, Kohat Regional Director Prosecution Tariq Bakhsh and other relevant officials.

The deputy commissioners of Khurram, Karak, Kohat, Hangu and Orakzai besides the district health officers thoroughly discussed in the meeting impediments during the last anti-polio campaigns.

The meeting decided to remove the hurdles.

The commissioner directed the officials that no leniency should be shown to the negligent officials because it was a national cause.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2021